Carlson Hotels Worldwide

NEW YORK, Dec. 3 / Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, a leading global hospitality services organization with over 1,055 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise ship operations in 72 countries, today announced several major expansion moves including the company's entry into two of the hospitality industry's hottest new business areas: Lifestyle Living and Vacation Ownership. Carlson also announced a major expansion of its luxury hotel and resort company, Regent International Hotels, with four new locations in North America.

The expansion news was announced today at a New York news conference by Curtis Nelson, president and chief executive officer of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide.

Regent International Hotels

Regent International Hotels, one of the newest additions to the Carlson Hospitality Worldwide organization and a world leader in five-star luxury hotels and resorts, announced the addition of four new properties, two hotels and two resorts. The two new hotels are The Regent Vancouver in the capital of British Columbia, Canada, and The Regent Mexico City in the Mexican capital. The two new resorts are The Regent Resort at Punta Maroma near Cancun, and The Regent Resort Los Cabos, both in premier resort destinations in Mexico. The expansion brings to eight the number of new Regent hotels announced in the past year, representing a nearly 100 percent growth of Regent International Hotels since it was acquired by Carlson Hospitality Worldwide in November last year.

This week, the company celebrated the topping off of two new Regent Hotels at the Resort in Summerlin near Las Vegas, Nevada. Regent is well ahead of its original development goal to double the number of Regent hotels and resorts in two years.

Carlson Lifestyle Living

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide announced it is expanding into a new business concept called Carlson Lifestyle Living, combining the full-service hospitality of resorts and hotels with year-around residential housing. The lifestyle communities will be called "Carlson Park" and will include condominiums, townhouses and one of the Carlson hotel brands in a campus-like setting with resort amenities and recreational opportunities.

"This is a natural extension of our hotel operations and we are very excited about the future and potential of this industry," said Nelson.

The expansion will target major demographic trends including an aging population, increased wealth and a focus on health and wellness. The concept is attractive for those who are nearing or entering retirement years.

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide also announced details of its first Carlson Lifestyle Living Development: The Carlson Park in San Antonio, Texas. The 27-acre site will offer a 150-room Country Inn and Suite Hotel, 140 condominium units and 80 townhouses.

Carlson Vacation Ownership

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, targeting growth in the leisure segment of the lodging industry as a key strategy for the new millenium, announced that it is entering the vacation ownership business with a new company named Carlson Vacation Ownership, Inc.

Carlson will expand into the vacation ownership business through licensing of vacation ownership properties in leading year-round resort destinations under its global lodging brands including Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Regent International Hotels and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson.

"We look forward to being a leader in the new generation of the vacation ownership business," said Nelson. "Affiliation with a known and proven brand is a major factor in the customer buying decision," he added.

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide also announced details of its first expansion in the vacation ownership industry, a 20-year partnership with Tempus Resorts International, one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. Carlson Vacation Ownership will create an industry-leading vacation club for Tempus Resorts to be introduced in 1999.

"The additions of Carlson Lifestyle Living and Carlson Vacation Ownership, Inc., as well as the dramatic growth of Regent International Hotels reflect our goal to be the world's premier, customer driven service organization," said Nelson. "We intend to surround customers with a variety of different types of products and services in different segments of the hospitality industry," he added.

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide includes over 550 lodging locations in 54 countries, plus four cruise ships sailing worldwide. Operations of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide include Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Regent International Hotels, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Carlson Restaurants Worldwide which includes nine restaurant brands including the well-known T.G.I. Friday's.

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of Carlson Companies, Inc. Other Carlson Companies groups include Carlson Marketing Group, a worldwide marketing services company operating in 17 countries; Carlson Leisure Group, responsible for leisure travel ventures around the globe; and Carlson Wagonlit Travel (co-owned with Accor Group of Paris) a world leader in business travel management. Carlson's travel agency interests include 5,300 travel locations in more than 140 countries around the world. Systemwide revenues for Carlson Companies, Inc. reached $20 billion in 1997 under Carlson Brands.

Betsy Day
Public Relations Director
763 212-1433
Radisson Hotel Group